Detectives today urged a key witness of Bradford's Easter Sunday disturbances to speak out - believing he could be the lynchpin to uncovering how the violence erupted.

They are trying to trace a man who was chased from the Coach House pub moments after the initial outburst occurred.

The Asian male - thought to be about 20-years-old and probably Indian - had been in the public bar when a predominantly white gang walked in at around 7.30pm.

After racist comments sparked a fight, witnesses saw the man being chased across the road to take refuge in the Bilal pizza takeaway on the opposite side of Legrams Lane.

Detective Superintendent Phil Sedgwick, who is leading the investigation, said Asian bystanders may have perceived the incident as an attack against their community, fanning the flames of later conflict.

He said: "The man escaped from the rear of the premises and the windows of the takeaway were damaged."

Detectives' attempts to trace the man had so far been fruitless, he said.

"He may be frightened of repercussions. We would ask that he contacts us and we can make any arrangements that are necessary to ensure his protection."

He said that the man could hold vital leads on the initial moments of the confrontation and provide information on those who sparked the unrest.

"At present, this man is a key witness to the case. He could be a lynchpin in uncovering the identities of his attackers."

Det Supt Sedgwick also appealed for members of the predominantly white group of drinkers - who are thought to have visited other pubs in Clayton and Lidget Green beforehand - to come forward.

"We do not think that all of them wanted to become involved and some of them may have avoided the trouble.

"It is much better for them that they contact us of their own accord before we have to take the time and effort to trace them," said Det Supt Sedgwick.

He stressed that a number of drinkers in the bar had already been identified and that further investigations would ensure that detectives would be speaking to the rest of them.

Anyone with information on any incident during the disturbances should contact 0845 6060606. Officers have also set up a special Urdu hotline for people to leave information on (01274) 376313.

7.30pm

A 30-40 strong group of predominantly white males enter the public bar of the Coach House on Legrams Lane. They have visited other pubs - possibly in Clayton and Lidget Green - and some appear drunk and 'unsteady on their feet'. Some 'banter' between these and a small number of Indians in the bar becomes heated. A racist comment from one of the white group sparks a fight which spills onto the street outside. Bystanders become drawn into the disturbance outside the pub and the scale of the violence begins to escalate.

7.50pm

A group of white men chase an Indian across the road into the Bilal pizza takeaway opposite. When he escapes through a rear exit, the windows of the shop are smashed. Asian bystanders who saw this incident may have perceived it as an attack on their community, building tensions for further confrontation.

7.59pm

The first 999 call is made from the Coach House as a number of windows are smashed at the pub.

8.10pm

The battling gangs move a short way down Legrams Lane towards Clayton Road. Members of the white group board a bus which heads back past the Coach House. Here, a group of around 30 Asians point out the 'troublemakers' to small team of police officers who have arrived on the scene. They stop the bus but the men jump out of an emergency exit. The officers try to keep the two factions apart but are unable to do so. Fighting breaks out again and the white group move down towards the Second West pub, shouting and chanting on the way.

8.15pm

Another fight breaks out outside the Second West. After a few minutes, this appears to die down and the white group move away.

8.30pm

Having travelled through Beckside Road and Spencer Road, the white group arrive in Woodhead Road where they begin fighting with a predominantly Asian crowd. This violent disturbance involves between 50 and 100 people. Police attempt to halt the disorder and three people are arrested. The white group move away towards the city centre and are not involved in the violence again.

8.30pm

At the same time, the Ukrainian Club in Legrams Lane is damaged by stone-throwing gangs. One attacker 'clubs' a 47-year-old in the head with a stone. An older man suffers head injuries from a hurled missile.

8.55pm

Gangs gather outside the Second West pub and attack it with stones, bricks and other missiles. While customers and staff seek shelter upstairs, some of the mob force their way into building and take cash from the till and fruit machines. The premises are badly smashed up and fires started. Missiles are thrown through upstairs windows and a number of people are injured.

9.05pm

Another crowd surround the Coach House and start hurling objects through upstairs and downstairs windows.

9.10pm

A married couple are pulled from their white Vespa scooter in Legrams Lane by an angry mob. They are beaten until crowd realised the pillion passenger is a women. Local residents come out to help the victims.

9.15pm

The Willowfield Hotel in Legrams Lane is next to come under a hail of missiles, with windows being smashed.

9.30pm

A 18-year-old Asian man suffers head injuries after being hit by a stone in Legrams Lane.

9.35pm

The Coach House pub comes under a serious 'sustained attack'. Members of the mob enter the pub and cause extensive damage throughout. Members of staff and customers gather upstairs, fearing for the lives. In the car park, eight vehicles are set alight as the violence reaches a peak.

9.45pm

A 50-year-old man and his family are driving through Legrams Lane when a lump of concrete is thrown through the window of his white Fiat Bravo. The man is hit in the face, breaking his jaw.

9.45pm

Close by, a crowd surrounds a red Ford Escort, driven by a 40-year-old woman. As she turns to her daughter in the back of the car, she is hit by a missile, badly bruising her back. She manages to drive away and undergoes hospital treatment.

10.30pm

A 28-year old Asian man in Legrams Lane is injured by a flying missile.

10.45pm

A crowd gathers outside the Oddfellows pub in Legrams Lane and begin smashing the windows with bricks and stones. Staff and patrons run upstairs for cover.

10.55pm

The windows are smashed at the Lloyds Pharmacy in Legrams Lane. Members of the mob force their way in and steal stock before setting light to some of the fixtures. The flames do not take hold although serious smoke damage is caused.

11pm

Nurse Julie Cook suffers serious facial injuries when a brick is thrown through a window of her Isuzu Trooper at the junction of Horton Grange Road and Great Horton Road. She later undergoes reconstructive surgery in a bid to save the sight in her right eye.

11pm

A 62-year-old retired teacher is hit in the arm by missile which flies through the window of her car in Horton Grange Road.

Shortly after 11pm, the last pockets of the disturbance end and police restore order to Lidget Green. At least 19 people have been assaulted, 54 cars attacked and hundreds of thousands of pounds of damage caused.